Behind the Curtain

Three Books

We leave on our Scottish honeymoon in three days.Three days! Eeep!

We already know where we'll be and have an idea of the sights we want to see. With most of that in order I've been fretting on what to pack. My friends have been helping me on some aspects of this. Such as reading material for the long long flight.

Kateri drew my attention to the publisher Melville House, who have a series of novellas (Art of the Novella) and as well as a series of overlooked novels (The Neversink Library). I got a couple of books from both series. For the trip/flights/train rides I picked-up Lady Susan from Jane Austen and After Midnight by Irmgard Keun, both of which I'll report back on when I finish them. I also purchased the ebook of May Day (F Scott Fitzgerald) and preordered The Madonna of the Sleeping Cars, which I'll most likely get to sometime this summer.

But, the book I'm most excited about is one that is completely blank.

The amazing Carolee handmade a journal especially for my honeymoon and I am completely overjoyed at how it turned out. The inside pages are a dream to write on with my fountain pens and the cover is a lovely mix of linen and leather. The best part though is the end papers...

Look at the awesome pattern! I love the split-pea soup green of the background too. Super sigh. I'm excited to start writing in it, but I'm holding off until I am at least on the plane to Scotland. It's been hard to hold back though.

War Workers

"Women working in factory, Newcastle" (1918) Sir John Lavery
(From British Artists at the Front, Continuation of The Western Front)

When I first started reading E.M. Delafield's The War Workers (1918) I thought I was in for a boring character study, but I was very wrong. I went into this story blind, as I could not find any plot descriptions or reviews on the story, but I decided to take a chance on it since I enjoyed Delafield's other work.

Set during WWI, this story focuses on a group of women all employed at the same war office. There are class differences and personality differences, but it never comes off as a class struggle or catty. You are given a glimpse into the lives of a group of people for a series of time, leaving them after some events unfold, their lives changed, but not drastically so. The pace of the story reminded me a little bit of The Fortnight in September, or Greenbanks, but it has more events, more changes that occur to the characters that makes it more engaging.

"Shell making, Edinburgh" Sir John Lavery (Scottish National Portrait Gallery)

This short book was enjoyable to read and the characters are built in a way that you get sucked into their lives. I found myself rooting for certain people/relationships, which is something that is rare for me to do in a book.

The scenes that take place in the hostel between the group of war workers, especially the domestic scene on their Sunday off, was lovely and picturesque to read. I was a bit sad to finish the book because the group of women Delafield created was so fun to include myself in, even though they were in a war. The camaraderie of the women during this time was awesome to read about and get lost in. Even if you could care less about war stories or home front stories, I think you'd find this book enjoyable because it is mainly about the people rather than the situation they are in.

 

Bouquet

I'm not sure what led me to pick-up Bouquet by G. B. Sterns, which recounts her 1926 tour through the vineyards and restaurants of France. Perhaps it was the promise of an adventure, or the fact that it was set in the 20s, but I quickly realized that I was not the target audience for this book.

Stern's traveling companions are her husband Johnny, and married friends Rosemary and Humphrey, who are interesting and realistic traveling companions indeed. The relationship between these companions as well as Stern's lovely language and description of moments and places is the only thing that made me keep reading. I know this sounds weird - isn't the author's prose and experience what you read a story for. Yes, except for when the story gets extremely detailed on a drink the reader (me) could care less about: wine.

I confess, I do not like wine. I'm sorry. I can't drink many wines due to an allergic reaction I get, so I've just cut them out entirely. To dull the pain from this poor relationship, I cuddle up with beer and whiskey - not a bad trade off, really. But back to Stern's book...

Since I do not drink wine, many of the character notes, arguments, and climactic moments in the book held little interest for me. If you love wine or want to know more about wine, pick this book up. If you could care less about wine, but love travel stories, pick up this book. If you care for neither, I would have to say leave this one be and read another title from Stern.

That being said - what I really enjoyed about Bouquet, besides the amazing scenic descriptions, was how Stern does not shy away from detailing the bad aspects of travel. The couples get in fights, they check into bad hotels, their car breaks down - she speaks of it all and I love her for that. There is nothing worse than a travel story that glosses over the bad that comes with the good. We all know travel cannot be 100% cream and roses. You get sick, tired, fussy - it happens to the best of us. Coming from Stern, these moments become funny and normalized. They make you feel like less of an asshole for when you find yourself in similar situations in "idyllic locals."

In reading this book I fell in love with Stern's writing and I will definitely be giving her other books a read. I've heard good things about Ten Days of Christmas, which I think would be a good book to read over the holidays. Now to find a copy in one of my libraries...

Make Your Place

I have a house guest coming over tomorrow, which means I'm in mad clean mode. A few years ago I switched from using typical cleaning agents to "green" cleaning products. I wasn't really satisfied with the results, so I started looking about for a solution. I found the book Make Your Place, which has recipes for house cleaners. (There are also recipes for bath products, home remedies, and much more. This book has been quite indispensable to me over the years.)

She has a recipe for an all purpose cleaning spray for just pennies that is also natural. The main powerhouse in her recipe is distilled white vinegar, but she has a few additions to give it a little more omph with some nice smells. Unfortunately, I am allergic to liquid castile soap, which is a main part of her mix, so I have altered her recipe for my own use. Here is my version:

Homemade All-Purpose Cleaner
Fill a spray bottle halfway with white vinegar

Add the following:
1/4 teaspoon lavender oil
1/4 teaspoon tea tree oil
1 teaspoon Bon Ami or Barkeepers Friend*

Fill the rest of the bottle with hot water. Spray away all your dirt and grime.

*DO NOT use Comet in this mix. Comet and white vinegar do not mix well at all.

Silence Enraptured

Still from Beyond the Rocks (1922)

I will start off this post with a confession: I have not seen The Artist yet. I know. It's horrible, but I just haven't had any time to go and see it.

With all that out in the open I think it absolutely awesome that The Artist won an Oscar and I am enjoying the writings and analyzing that is happening due to the popularity of the film. One of the best articles about silent cinema and its importance that I have read recently is from the New Yorker.

Intertitle from Miss Lulu Bett (1921)

David Denby does an amazing job talking about nuances of silent film and how one appreciates it today in his article "The Artists: Notes on a lost style of acting." I feel silly not knowing that most silent films are not shown in the right speed when you see them on TV or through dvd. I always try to watch silents in the theater to save myself the pain of crappy music that weren't meant to be with the images before my eyes. The speeding up of the film makes the nuanced movements of the actors campy and quick, argues Denby, and loses the delicacy of the silent movie's magic.

Still from Ménilmontant (1925)

Another aspect of the article that really got to me is the impact of the larger than life actor/actress:

Seen properly, the best early movies were a revelation, particularly the sight of actors in closeup—filling a screen fifty feet or more across the diagonal, they presented a new landscape of flesh that astonished viewers. Faces that large might have appeared on billboards, but they didn’t move—they didn’t tremble like a field of grain or surge like the sea.   - Denby, page 2

I've experience this awe-effect first hand when I saw Beyond the Rocks (1922) in a theater. I never saw the big deal about Valentino until this movie. As I sat and watched him act I realized why he was important, but I didn't get why he was a sex symbol, until his close-up. I think I actually gasped out loud when his entire face was projected on the screen. His pooled eyes, quivering lips...it was all emotion and it was all directed at me. It was amazing and is something I've never experienced in modern movies. Read Denby's article and get ready to reignite your love for silents.

It is because of Denby's article I was reminded how much I enjoy the theatrical quality that silent movies retain and I have made a date to go see Wings (1927) this Saturday at the Music Box Theatre. If you are in Chicago, I highly suggest you go too. There will be live organ accompaniment and it will be magical.

William - An Englishman

Vogue cover, unknown artist (May 13, 1931)

A young couple go away on their honeymoon in the countryside of Belgium. Halfway through their vacation, the Great War begins.

This short summary alone attracted me to the book William - An Englishman. Whatever I was expecting from the story, it was something completely different. I don't want to say much, because stepping into this book with little knowledge on the plot is the best way to start reading. What I will say is that this book is a must read for anyone who is interested in history, WWI, Britain, and politics.

WWI Sweeheart Hankie

There are many messages to take away from this book: the creation and maintenance of relationships, the concept of home and patriotism, the truth of war. Beyond all these elements, I was struck most with the brutally honest way Hamilton describes war and the situations the characters are forced into.

There is no apology, no shrinking back, no glossy coating. It is just life, and for that, I find this book amazing. This book placed me into the mind's eye of those who lived through WWI and I will never see it the same way again.

After finishing this book, I tried to find others like it. A Farewell to Arms, and other obvious ones came up in my searches (including ones I've already read), but I was hoping for more forgotten titles. Can anyone recommend good WWI books that focus on everyday people rather than tactical elements?

Greenbanks

Summer at Hadlyme (1914) by Willard Metcalf

Greenbanks is the most recently released Dorthy Whipple title from Persephone and is one of the books the husband got me for the holidays. I'm not really sure how to describe this book. Some people on Good Reads explain the plot as being a story about the relationship between a grandmother and her granddaughter. While this is true, it reduces the main root of the story, in that it encompasses the entire family and how each person's actions effect the family as a whole.

Relationships are placed in strain, other relatives are made closer, others still rediscover themselves...all due to actions by other family members. The story's main focus is on the grandmother, but I wouldn't say the entire story is about her.

You are placed in a passive role as you watch the years pass. You are dropped into the lives of this family for a few years in the role of voyeur and are just as quickly taken out of it. So while there isn't swash buckling action or a huge issue that resolved, this story is extremely engaging to read. Several times I found myself staying up way later than I intended because I wanted "just to read the next chapter..."

If you enjoy peaking into other's lives or reading about the everyday actions of previous decades, this book is a gem. It starts off slow, but it quietly becomes an addictive read, leaving you wondering just why you were so compelled with the lives of these characters.

Books & Perfume

I don't know why it took me until nearly the end of the month to write about this, but I got some lovely gifts from the husband this year that I wanted to share. Firstly, look how pretty Persephone gift wrapped their books for us, without even it being requested! Lovely, lovely. Here are the titles he chose from their collection:

- Greenbanks by Dorthy Whipple (currently reading)
- Lady Rose and Mrs Memmary by Ruby Ferguson
- The Expendable Man by Dorothy Hughes

I'm only one chapter into Greenbanks, but it has already sucked my into the story. I'm excited to find the time to read more. Lady Rose and Mrs. Memmary has gotten mixed reviews on Good Reads, but I was attracted to this one because it takes place in Scotland. I'm planning on either reading it right before our trip or while on the trip. The Expendable Man...detective mystery turned film noir movie, enough said.

I was also pleased to see that Persephone is now offering eBooks. I definitely prefer printed books to electronic ones, but there are some books I would like to have in both print and digital form so that I have access to it if I need a quick pick me up while traveling. (When I use the eReader the most.)

The other gift he gave me is the scent In the Library from CB I Hate Perfume. Now, I am not a fan of perfume at all. I haven't worn any since high school, but I decided to buy a sample of a couple of their fragrances because a friend recommended them. I tried out Russian Caravan Tea and the library one. I really liked both, but felt In the Library was better for everyday wear and awesomely, C surprised me buy buying a full size of the scent.

So, that's what I'll be smelling and reading over the next few months!

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Book lovers, check out the Kickstarter from one of the librarians of Read/Write Library, where we have hosted LWA Letter Socials at in the past. They only have 3 more days to reach their goal and get their book printed, so help them out.

Travel Reading

Compartment C, Car 293, Edward Hopper (1938)

I plan to use this long weekend to RELAX. (No small feat when we have another holiday fair to prepare for next weekend.) This will involve a lot of knitting, reading, and perhaps some napping. If you are looking for a good book to read over this holiday, I have a few suggestions for you. All are really good "brain crack," in that they are light, but still have some good meat on them.

Rules of Civility, by Amor Towles [Good Reads link]
This is the only contemporary book on the list, and frankly, the only contemporary book I've read in a long time. I couldn't put this book down, and flew through the 300 pages in a just a few nights. Well composed; I love how the plot unfolded. The way Manhattan is described is just beautiful, it almost is a character on its own.

The story is set in 1938, but is told from the narrator looking back upon that time. I normally am not a fan of that type of narration device, but it works well in this case. If you pick it up for the period piece aspect alone, you will be surprised with the good story that follows.

Uneasy Money, by P.G. Wodehouse [Good Reads link] [Free on Project Gutenberg]
I recently gorged myself on a bunch of Wodehouse books over the summer, because they are just great, light, summer reads. They are all very much a like, and yet different enough to hold my attention. This one, while similar in plot, has an extra little punch that I really liked that set it apart from his normal fare. Yes, boy falls in love with girl, but the way it all gets there is humorous and interesting and just different enough from Wodehouse's normal romantic books, mainly because the characters seem a little less 2D than usual. There is also beekeeping involved, which warmed my heart a bit.

Enchanted April, by Elizabeth von Arnim [Good Reads link] [Free on Project Gutenberg]
I was a little hesitant to pick-up this book when I read the plot. A group of women get away to a small Italian village and find out things about themselves? It sounded like a bad Lifetime made-for-TV movie. I heard really good things about the story and the fact that it was published in 1922 made me take the chance. I'm glad I did because it was a really lovely story and the imagery in it is amazing. It may be a little cruel to read this during the Fall and Winter months because of this well-described scenery, but it may also give your mind a rest from all the wind and cold.

All the characters ended up being amazing, even ones I didn't really like at first. I also really enjoyed the way certain characters became the last thing you expected. This book is a nice balance between a thoughtful, yet easy read.

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If  you pick up any of these books, let me know what you thought of them. If not, what books do you plan to read during the next few days?

-Kathy

Turkish Delight & Treasure Hunts

I'm the type of person that when I read something about food or games in a book I immediately become curious about it and want to figure out how to make the item or play the game. If seed cake or Whist is mentioned in a story, I dog ear that page so that the next chance I get I can do research on it.

Imagine my delight while perusing a book shop to find a lovely title sitting on the shelf that touted "activities and delicious recipes...to follow in the footsteps of your favorite childhood heroes." Yes please. I purchased Turkish Delight & Treasure Hunts without a moment's hesitation.

Here's a small confession though - I haven't read most of the books that these recipes or activities are sourced from. I'm not sure how I managed to never get to them, but it didn't stop me from enjoying reading about the activities these characters engaged in. I also added a few of these titles to my "to read" list; who cares that I'm a grown up, I can still enjoy them!

I was concerned that since this book was in sections and had recipes, it wouldn't be very readable. Thank goodness I was wrong. I have been so hooked to this book the moment I got it and have already baked a few items from it. This book has given me many ideas of activites I want to do myself, as well as with nieces and nephews. I will be buying this book as presents for friends this year for sure. If you enjoy reading, entertaining yourself offline, or cooking/baking, I highly suggest you get this book. You'll thank me later.